National Forum

Sunday Game

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Think this might be one of those times where you're not quite wrong, but not quite right either.

They first "telescoped" the inter-county Championships during 2020, due to Covid. And yes, they announced that year that every match would be available to view, because attendances were being restricted to just a few hundred people.

But I don't recall any suggestion that every match would be available to view forevermore. I stand to be corrected. If you can find evidence of any such suggestion, I'd love to see it."
Almost sure it was said when split season was being sold and GAAgo in planning. Will see if I can find reference.

It was the case in first year that there were lots more games shown. Might be financial reason for pretty minimal coverage by GAA+

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4223 - 20/04/2026 15:50:05    2667535

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Here's what I don't get. You can go onto YouTube where RTÉ Sport have put highlights of the games. That's grand, but here's my gripe. Obviously The Sunday Game has only so much time to show highlights and do analysis, and of course they're going to devote more time showing highlights of the bigger games and less time showing the smaller ones. But the highlights packages on YouTube are the same ones that are on The Sunday Game! If they can upload 10 minutes of Galway vs Kilkenny in the hurling, or 9½ minutes of Armagh vs Tyrone the weekend before, why can't they do the same for Sligo vs Leitrim or Carlow vs Laois instead of paltry reports that last 90 seconds?

Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1276 - 20/04/2026 18:41:47    2667581

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Replying To Tacaí Liatroma:  "Here's what I don't get. You can go onto YouTube where RTÉ Sport have put highlights of the games. That's grand, but here's my gripe. Obviously The Sunday Game has only so much time to show highlights and do analysis, and of course they're going to devote more time showing highlights of the bigger games and less time showing the smaller ones. But the highlights packages on YouTube are the same ones that are on The Sunday Game! If they can upload 10 minutes of Galway vs Kilkenny in the hurling, or 9½ minutes of Armagh vs Tyrone the weekend before, why can't they do the same for Sligo vs Leitrim or Carlow vs Laois instead of paltry reports that last 90 seconds?"
If there's a RTE camera at a game, the entire game should be made available on GAA+ and/or YouTube from start to finish. It would require minimal editing. There's no excuse for it. I couldn't give a hoot if there's commentary or not. Someone should bring it up as a motion at county board level for consideration at Congress.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1986 - 20/04/2026 20:30:51    2667595

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Almost sure it was said when split season was being sold and GAAgo in planning. Will see if I can find reference.

It was the case in first year that there were lots more games shown. Might be financial reason for pretty minimal coverage by GAA+"
Barney, you're completely misremembering things.

First year of the split season was 2022. Sky were still showing GAA matches at the time. What was then called GAA GO showed only a relatively small number of matches that weren't being shown by either RTE or Sky.

Then Sky pulled out at the end of 2022. For 2023, GAA GO showed the matches that would otherwise have been on Sky, plus a similar number to what they'd already shown in '22. They showed 38 matches in total:
https://www.gaa.ie/news/gaago-ie-to-stream-38-exclusive-gaa-championship-matches-in-2023

There was no promise to show every match. Indeed, if I jog your memory, you might remember that not only were there complaints of "what about all the people who don't have internet?", there were also complaints of "if they can stream those ones, why can't they stream them all?"

This year, GAA+ are showing 40 matches:
https://www.gaaplus.ie/championship-2026

Meanwhile, RTE continue to show the same number of matches (or slightly more) as they've always done as well.

If by "first year", you mean the first year of the "proper" split season, then it's not the case that "there were lots more games shown".

In fairness, if "first year" is supposed to mean "the first year they were streaming", then there were more games shown. But as already pointed out, that was because it was 2020, Covid was happening, only a very select few were able to actually go to games, and so they streamed all the games instead.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3505 - 20/04/2026 20:30:59    2667596

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Replying To Claretandblue:  "I doubt anyone else thought that. A match eight months ago."
A two point second-half from one of the Big Tree is back in people's minds again! Cork did better this time around, but that's something that will never be forgotten!

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2498 - 20/04/2026 21:24:55    2667609

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "Why do The Sunday Game insist on extended highlights and analysis of matches that we shown live and analysed 3-4-5 hours earlier?
I was watching it back this evening and it just boggles the mind. Nobody in the country who wanted to hasn't seen these matches, or can watch back on RTE Player.
Show longer and better highlights of matches people haven't seen."
I'd half agree with you. Basically, would like to see longer highlights and less chat. But I see nothing wrong with showing longer highlights of the games that have already been covered earlier that day.

Anyone who was at those matches will want to see the key scores and replays of any controversial incidents or other talking points. They won't necessarily want to sit through the entire thing again, even allowing for fast forwarding or rewinding as they search for the bits they'd like to see.

Back in the day, it used to always be a great thing to watch The Sunday Game after being at a match yourself. Now you may as well not bother. You'll probably only see three to four minutes of highlights followed by 12 to 15 minutes of yap, when it used to be the other way round.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3505 - 20/04/2026 23:34:23    2667631

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Replying To Tacaí Liatroma:  "Here's what I don't get. You can go onto YouTube where RTÉ Sport have put highlights of the games. That's grand, but here's my gripe. Obviously The Sunday Game has only so much time to show highlights and do analysis, and of course they're going to devote more time showing highlights of the bigger games and less time showing the smaller ones. But the highlights packages on YouTube are the same ones that are on The Sunday Game! If they can upload 10 minutes of Galway vs Kilkenny in the hurling, or 9½ minutes of Armagh vs Tyrone the weekend before, why can't they do the same for Sligo vs Leitrim or Carlow vs Laois instead of paltry reports that last 90 seconds?"
Just for the sake of answering your question, and in no way defending the practice:
because that would take more work, and for no return. Somebody would have to a two-minute edit for broadcast and a separate ten-minute edit for upload, and there'd be no extra revenue from that ten-minute edit that would be on YouTube.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3505 - 20/04/2026 23:38:26    2667632

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In the case of football you have the pundits analysing maybe 6 games or more held that day. They are only seeing maybe at most for many 2 mins of highlights. How can they make a judgement on a game after seeing so little of it. It is stupid

ohwow (Leitrim) - Posts: 114 - 21/04/2026 09:48:18    2667656

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Replying To ohwow:  "In the case of football you have the pundits analysing maybe 6 games or more held that day. They are only seeing maybe at most for many 2 mins of highlights. How can they make a judgement on a game after seeing so little of it. It is stupid"
You make a solid point, and most of the pundits present analysis from pre-conceived thinking of featured teams, rather than what is on display that particular day. Then there is the 'Politics' section where established pundits make a shout out to the GAA for rule change etc, probably with one eye on running for President at some point.

Granted, its not always the case, but I think the Sunday Game / League Sunday format badly needs a revamp, including a revamp of pundits and presenters.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1771 - 21/04/2026 12:52:28    2667710

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Replying To ohwow:  "In the case of football you have the pundits analysing maybe 6 games or more held that day. They are only seeing maybe at most for many 2 mins of highlights. How can they make a judgement on a game after seeing so little of it. It is stupid"
Its a highlights and entertainment show. Thats all it is. Its not meant to be some deep analysis of all games. Its just an insight into what happened to assist the arm chair fan in his consumption of the product. Nothing more. Its match of the day not the Monday night team debrief.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 212 - 21/04/2026 16:47:48    2667743

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Just for the sake of answering your question, and in no way defending the practice:
because that would take more work, and for no return. Somebody would have to a two-minute edit for broadcast and a separate ten-minute edit for upload, and there'd be no extra revenue from that ten-minute edit that would be on YouTube."
It's a public broadcaster. They're not meant to be doing it for profit. Particularly our national games.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4456 - 21/04/2026 18:33:14    2667765

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Should probably change the name to 'The Sunday Games' in this format. If you go to Salthill on Sunday to see how the Offaly hurlers are shaping up, you'll miss Cork Limerick MHC and Mayo Ros CFC on the box, two matches you'd probably like to watch, but possibly won't get to watch a recording, before the next glut of games arrive in the pot a week later. And people wondering why the crowds are low watching LHC.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4668 - 21/04/2026 20:35:07    2667782

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Its a highlights and entertainment show. Thats all it is. Its not meant to be some deep analysis of all games. Its just an insight into what happened to assist the arm chair fan in his consumption of the product. Nothing more. Its match of the day not the Monday night team debrief."
Im unsure about the entertainment quality because its quite paltry at the moment..The best entertainment we could get is seeing as many clips from football & hurling games and by that I mean all games... Its quite unfair to show 1 min of lower div teams playing and ten times that of higher division teams... Many people dont get to attend or see games so the Sunday Game when it started was built around around these people and it give the rest of us a brilliant round up of the weekends action.. If we want deep analysis of games arent they all there now to watch on a playback of some sort.. I actually feel sorry for those pundits now that political correctness is ruling us all.

Dothesimplethingswell (Sligo) - Posts: 58 - 21/04/2026 20:37:36    2667784

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Its a highlights and entertainment show. Thats all it is. Its not meant to be some deep analysis of all games. Its just an insight into what happened to assist the arm chair fan in his consumption of the product. Nothing more. Its match of the day not the Monday night team debrief."
We don't want deep analysis because it never happens. We just want to see at least 5 mins highlights of all games, not under 2 mins. That isn't hard

ohwow (Leitrim) - Posts: 114 - 22/04/2026 08:49:58    2667825

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Replying To Commodore:  "You make a solid point, and most of the pundits present analysis from pre-conceived thinking of featured teams, rather than what is on display that particular day. Then there is the 'Politics' section where established pundits make a shout out to the GAA for rule change etc, probably with one eye on running for President at some point.

Granted, its not always the case, but I think the Sunday Game / League Sunday format badly needs a revamp, including a revamp of pundits and presenters."
Definitely needs new presenters

ohwow (Leitrim) - Posts: 114 - 22/04/2026 08:51:15    2667826

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "It's a public broadcaster. They're not meant to be doing it for profit. Particularly our national games."
Again, not defending the practice, because I'd like to see extended highlights online too. But -

Even a public service broadcaster still has to operate on the basis of sound business principles. And creating more work for no return seldom if ever qualifies as one of those.

Bear in mind that every time RTE have to announce they didn't operate at a profit or at least a break-even basis, reams of people give out about them wasting money and having to be propped up from the public purse.

Also consider how the majority of the country probably wouldn't mind if they put no resources into covering gaelic games at all. Even for an All-Ireland Final - for every one person watching it, there are four or five more who aren't.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3505 - 22/04/2026 09:57:27    2667842

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "Should probably change the name to 'The Sunday Games' in this format. If you go to Salthill on Sunday to see how the Offaly hurlers are shaping up, you'll miss Cork Limerick MHC and Mayo Ros CFC on the box, two matches you'd probably like to watch, but possibly won't get to watch a recording, before the next glut of games arrive in the pot a week later. And people wondering why the crowds are low watching LHC."
Ties in really with what I said above in response to StoreysTash.

Take last Sunday, for example, when I went to Carlow to watch Wexford footballers v Louth. I obviously couldn't watch either of the two Munster SHC matches that were live on TV. I was obviously interested in seeing the main action from them somehow, but I wouldn't have three hours or so to sit down and watch them back in their entirety.

So, no issue with games that have already been shown live and 'analysed to death' also being shown in extended highlight form that night, with further analysis too. But would still wish for more action and less chat then!

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3505 - 22/04/2026 10:02:08    2667844

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Its a highlights and entertainment show. Thats all it is. Its not meant to be some deep analysis of all games. Its just an insight into what happened to assist the arm chair fan in his consumption of the product. Nothing more. Its match of the day not the Monday night team debrief."
Problem is that it lacks entertainment value at present. A lot of fans go to games and afterwards want to get post-match analysis by the supposed GAA experts (Including fans of Counties in lower divisions), but League Sunday and the Sunday Game is hit and miss.

The Colm O'Rourke, Pat Spillane and Joe Brolly era may have been swamped with personal bias and maybe a lack of technical analysis deserved of the modern game, but it was often hugely entertaining.

I watched Ciaran Whelan and Lee Keegan on with Joanne Cantwell after the League finals, and the whole thing just felt disjointed and dark, ranting about the rules, it just didn't flow at all. I think they probably need new people to freshening the thing up and maybe also change to the show format.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1771 - 22/04/2026 10:25:34    2667849

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Replying To Commodore:  "Problem is that it lacks entertainment value at present. A lot of fans go to games and afterwards want to get post-match analysis by the supposed GAA experts (Including fans of Counties in lower divisions), but League Sunday and the Sunday Game is hit and miss.

The Colm O'Rourke, Pat Spillane and Joe Brolly era may have been swamped with personal bias and maybe a lack of technical analysis deserved of the modern game, but it was often hugely entertaining.

I watched Ciaran Whelan and Lee Keegan on with Joanne Cantwell after the League finals, and the whole thing just felt disjointed and dark, ranting about the rules, it just didn't flow at all. I think they probably need new people to freshening the thing up and maybe also change to the show format."
More action, less waffle please.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 495 - 22/04/2026 10:54:10    2667858

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No game they showed earlier that day needs to be re-shown or analysed. It can be watched back on RTE player.
Or else they need to show short highlights and put extended highlights on YouTube or RTE player.
Analysis of the games, well its often done by people who didn't watch the game so what is the point?

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1621 - 22/04/2026 11:35:17    2667868

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